In this episode, Gary sits down with writer and Liver Cancer Advocate Andrea Wilson-Woods. At the age of 22, Andrea took full-time custody of her 8-year-old sister, Adrienne, after their mother succumbed to addiction. She opened up about the challenges of raising her sister and the devastating diagnosis of stage 4 liver cancer that Adrienne received at the age of 15. Andrea also talks about her advocacy work through The Blue Fairy Foundation, which aims to prevent, treat, and cure primary liver cancer. She emphasizes the importance of patient education and self-advocacy in navigating the healthcare system.

As I sit here typing this newsletter on Wednesday morning, I’m battling a massive head cold. Despite taking a few hours off yesterday and on Friday (when it began), I’m not feeling much better. Thankfully, I tested negative for COVID-19, so it is just a cold that refuses to go away. However, I’m not letting a little bug stop me from attending the APPLE Meeting in Honolulu this week. I’m excited to meet one of Blue Faery’s long-time donors (in person) who resides in Hawaii as well as hear from other HCC experts about how they treat liver cancer in their countries.

In this first interview, they discussed how Sharon Dixon and her husband Jimmy made the difficult decision to choose hospice when treatment failed. Sharon Dixon is 60 years old. She lives in Peerless, Texas, which is a small rural community in Northeast Texas with her chi-weenie, Ollie, and two cats, Sassy & Chloe. She lost her beloved husband Jimmy to liver cancer (HCC) on October 27, 2022. She spends her time gardening and raising awareness about HCC.

This week Ivy Slater, host of Her Success Story, chats with her guest, Andrea Wilson Woods. The two talk about the importance of tapping into your zone of genius, surrounding yourself with the right people, and the impact being made by Blue Faery for liver cancer patients and doctors alike.

In this episode, we discuss:

How channeling grief was the catalyst that led her to begin a nonprofit 

The mission of Blue Faery, and where they are today

What challenges and obstacles she faced in building, and how long it took to gain traction

What transformation made a big difference in the impact that Blue Faery makes

Why it’s so important to tap into your zone of genius and surround yourself with the right people

What has surprised her on her journey as a leader

What tips she has to share for entrepreneurs who want to make an impact and start a nonprofit organization

Andrea shares the deeply personal story of her sister Adrienne's battle with liver cancer, which began when Adrienne was just a teenager. Andrea, who became her sister's primary caregiver, recounts the emotional and challenging journey they endured together.

At this year’s American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), Andrea Wilson Woods, Founder of Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association, sat down to discuss Blue Faery, a nonprofit aimed to prevent, treat, and cure liver cancer, and how the use of education and research has helped Blue Faery with improving liver cancer care.

If you attended the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting this year, you know the traffic in Chicago was unusually bad! (Much worse than last year when Taylor Swift was there during her Eras tour.) Ubers canceled, taxis disappeared, and walking was sometimes the only option. However, the conference was still terrific.

We have many exciting events happening this month; I’m thrilled to share them with you.

First up, we’re producing our next The Truth About Liver Cancer workshop with a focus on Liver Transplant recipients. You don’t want to miss Tony, Karen, and Steve’s stories about their dealing with liver disease, kidney disease, and liver cancer. While their experiences differ, a liver transplant saved their lives.

Next, we have a live, in-person workshop in Brooklyn for our Love Your Liver program during AAPI month. Read the full press release and get the details about the Chinese educational workshop featuring medical oncologist Dr. Songchuan Guo, a community leader and leading expert in treating liver cancer.

In her own words, this is the journal of Adrienne Wilson, a teenage artist, poet, and beloved sister. Before her death from liver cancer at the age of fifteen, Adrienne expressed her funny, bright soul in this prolific journal. Her musings on life, relationships, music, love, and the beautiful grime of her adopted hometown of Los Angeles leap off the page; her deep sensitivity and perspective are captured in full-color prints of her award-winning artwork. Steeped in late-90s nostalgia, this artistic journey through a teenage girl’s eyes is moving, often hilarious, and unforgettable.

Love Your Liver helps raise awareness about liver cancer risk factors in the Hispanic community, as they are 2.5 times as likely to develop the disease compared with White Americans. Due to the high prevalence of fatty liver disease in the community, liver cancer continues to be one of the most significant health issues that Hispanic Americans face. Besides the stigma of liver cancer and fatty liver disease, Hispanic Americans also face language and cultural barriers and lack culturally appropriate educational programs. Love Your Liver delivers culturally relevant education about liver cancer risk factors, liver cancer surveillance, and treatments while offering hope.

In the world of healthcare, innovation often comes from those who have experienced the system firsthand. Andrea Wilson Woods, the inspiring founder of Blue Faery and Cancer University, transformed her personal experience of losing her sister to liver cancer into a powerful force for change, empowering patients through a unique combination of education, coaching, and community.

How To Discover Purpose in Loss

The Price of Business Digital Network has a new series of outstanding commentaries from thought leaders. This is one in that series.

Andrea Wilson Woods

Patient Advocate, Author, and Speaker Andrea Wilson Woods talks about why she founded Blue Faery, a nonprofit patient advocacy organization dedicated to helping people with liver cancer.

ANDREA WILSON WOODS is a keynote speaker, a writer who loves to tell stories, and a patient advocate who founded the nonprofit Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association. For over ten years, Andrea worked in the education field as a teacher and professor for public and private schools as well as universities. Andrea obtained her master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California; her nonfiction writing has won national awards. Her best-selling and award-winning book, Better Off Bald: A Life in 147 Days, is a medical memoir about raising and losing her sister to liver cancer.

I’m so excited to announce this year’s Blue Faery Award Winner for Excellence in Liver Cancer Research. [insert drumroll] Meet Dr. Peter Galle!

Upon receiving the award, Dr. Galle said, "I am truly honored to receive the Blue Faery Award. It is a great privilege to join the group of national and international HCC experts who previously received this prestigious award and a stimulus to continue to work for our patients with this deadly disease. In the end, it's not the tumor but the patient with the tumor we are fighting for."

This is a "Girl, Take the Lead!" Sound Bite, which is a shorter episode, building on Ep 149 with Andrea Wilson Woods about her Blue Faery Foundation and the launch of the book she edited, I’d Rather Be Dead than Deaf. I thought you might like to hear some of the passages from that book to feel inspired during your day.

Blue Faery: The Adrienne Wilson Liver Cancer Association announces its first book, I'd Rather Be Dead Than Deaf: A Young Woman's Journey With Liver Cancer. In her own words, the book is the journal of Adrienne Wilson, a teenage artist, poet, and beloved sister. Before her death from liver cancer at age 15, Adrienne expressed her funny, bright soul in this prolific journal. Her musings on life, relationships, music, love, and the beautiful grime of her adopted hometown of Los Angeles leap off the page. Her deep sensitivity and perspective are captured in full-color prints of her award-winning artwork. Steeped in late-90s nostalgia, this artistic journey through a teenage girl's eyes is moving, often hilarious, and unforgettable. Grab a free copy from Book Sirens!